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Tuesday, 13 April 2010

To my mind this is the best “20+ miler” in the LDWA calendar – well organised and well supported by the Westmorland & North Lancs group over some of the best fells in the Lake District with enough freedom in the route to go wrong if you aren’t paying attention. Revived after an absence of a few years in memory of Eileen Knopfel, with all profits to CancerCare the route climbs out of Borrowdale and turns north over High Spy and Maiden Moor before plunging down to Little Town, Newlands Church and the first check point at Low Snab Farm. Up over Hindscarth and Robinson before crossing Buttermere Moss and dropping into Buttermere, the second check point and more food. Round the lake and through Scarth Gap on to Hay Stacks and across to Honister Hause for the final check point. All that is left now is the climb to Dale Head and the drop through Rigghead Quarries to Rosthwaite and the finish for more food and drink.

The event attracted the “usual suspects” from the LDWA, a good number of runners and a smattering of Bob Graham aspirants topping up their training. It was good to see old friends at the start and meet a new FRA Forumite, “Derby Tup” halfway up the first ascent. A long day in the Yorkshire Dales probably wasn’t the ideal preparation for this route and, eventually, Pauline succumbed to the heat in Buttermere and retired at Honister.

Rigghead Quarries (on the way up)

Derwent Water and the Northern Fells beyond

Newlands Church

Looking north from Hindscarth with the Northern Fells in the distance

Buttermere village, Crummock Water and Rannerdale Knotts with the Western Fells beyond

Fleetwith Pike beyond Buttermere

North west over Buttermere to the North Western fells below Grasmoor

Fleetwith Pike

Almost a last look at Buttermere

High Stile above Buttermere

Inominate Tarn on Hay Stacks with Great Gable on the skyline

Final look down into Buttermere

Looking north from Dale Head with High Spy and Maiden Moor on the right, the Northern Fells in the distance, North Western Fells to the left in the distance and Hindscarth also on the left.

When this event was run on 13 July 2002 I was fortunate to be one of the sweepers; the other was Eileen Knopfel and we both had a wonderful warm sunny day on these fells. Irrespective of the weather, all days and nights walking on the fells with Eileen were warm and sunny – she brought her own sunshine for the rest of us to share and enjoy.